Mechanical paintbrush



Feb. 21, 1950'v RDARUNG 2,498,360

' MECHANICAL PAINTBRUSH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 27, 1948 FIG.2

ROBERT P. DARLlNC-Ir INVENTOR.

Feb. 21, 1950 R. P. DARLING 2,498,360

MECHANICAL PAINTBRUSH Filed May 27, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ROBERT P. DARLING- IN V EN TOR.

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Patented Feb. 21, 1950 U NIT E D STATES NT 01F F I CE MECHANICAL PAIN 'IBRUSH Robert P. Darling, Fairvicw,"N. iJ.

Application Mayt2'7, 1948, Serial No.29,492

9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a rotating brush'and, in particular, to means'for applying paint, coating material or. paint removal solvent that would ordinarilyhave to be applied by a hand brush.

An object of thepresent inventionisto save timeand labor Where 'handpainting' by means of a'brush is; required by eliminating hand-dipping the'brush intoia paint or coating container and dripping of paint or coating material while in the process of using the hand brush.

A further object of this invention is'to provide a means for cleaning surfaces prior to painting or coating the surface and for paint removal merely-by changing to a paint removing solvent as the coating agent or bychanging from a'fibrous bristled brush to a': metallic bristled brush.

With these and other objects'in view asmay appear from the accompanying specificationsvthe invention consists of various features of construction and combination of. parts which .will be first described in vconnection with the accompanying drawings, showing a mechanical paintbrush of a preferred formembcdying'the invention, and the features 'formingthe invention will be specificallypointed out in, the claims. 1 'In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention showing the gears, shaft and brush adapterphantomized.

Figure 2 is a cross section taken on liner-'12 of Figure 1.

Figure" 3'is atop, plan view of the invention.

Figure. 3a is a cross section taken on line'.3a-f3a of Figure 3.

Figure .4 is a view. showing the shaft partly in cross section.

' Figurela. is a cross section'taken on line la-4a of Figure 3.

' Figure 4b is a cross section showing a modified form wherein the brushes are mounteddirectly onthe shaft.

Figure 4b is a cross sectionshowinga modifled form wherein the brushes arefformedintegrally with the brush adapter.

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross .sectionof .the valve.

Referring moreparticularly to the'drawin'gs, Figures 1 and 2 show a housing 10, substantially hemi-cylindrical in shape witha hollow interior portion and provided with .a single. handle member 3'2, cast as apart of the housing. itself. 'On one side of housing I0 is a gear train 3, 4, and 5,, connected to a driving. cable I.

Driving cable I, with coupling 2 isshown in fragmentary form and may be any conventional :2 type 'purchasable on the open market which'is 'able to transmit thetrotarymotioni from a motor (not'showm of any :suitable type, for example,

an'electric'motor.

"-Theendo'f driving cable "I shown is connected by coupling. 2 to a suitablelateral extension "2a, provided on gear '3'for receiving "the coupling. 'Gears 3 and lare mounted on'housing ID, by anti=frictiona1 bearings and operate so thatjgear 3"receives a rotational :force .from the driving cable I, transmitting "it to gear 4, gear '4 in turnengaging and'rotatinggear 5. Gear 5 is fixedlyxmo'unted on the. extended portion of shaft 6,1and as gear5 rotates shaft 6 willrotate in the samedirection'a'nd at the same speed.

Although a gear train'is'illustrated; it will be observed that other types of rotationtransmitting mechanisms :can be used. Forexample, two single V-groovepulleys and awbelt for connecting' them such that one is mounted on the'hous ingandreceives the rotational motion similarly to'gear 3, transmittingthe motion via the V'-belt to the second pulley which is fixed to shaft f6, similarly to gear '5. Theprimary object in each case, howeveryis "to secure a relationship and a ratio of the gears or pulleys to each other so as to rotate'shaft 6 in a counter-"clockwise direction at a practical speed'for'operation.

- *Sha'ft 6=is 'carriedbyhousing'lflandisseated on bearings l3-and 'l3"-1ocated"on each side of the housing as indicated -in*Figure--3, and extends past oneof'the 'bearing surfaces to-receive gear 5 on said extended portion. The extended portion has a-threaded'bore l6 therein.

Figure 7 3a illustrates a "bearing surface which ls the samefor both bearings by showingth-e construction 'of bearing surface 13. The bearing is split so-Lthat-part of the bearing surface His carried .byztherhousmg t ll and part is carried by the locking .bar Hi. flfhis z'construction provides a method whereby .whengear :cover 133' is removed; by operation oi the threaded fmeans indicated herein by the thumbscrews 179a, shaft- 6 may be lockedin place or'removed with gear 5 aifixed thereto.

The locking bar I28, is fixedmo housing why a hinge memberlS. .Thisofiersasimple typeof locking device lwhichzwilhsecure the shaft 6 to the housing Ill-and also'furnisha-bearing surface offering eminimum lfriction .during operation. While this type of locking device is shown, it understood that other locking devicesembodying the same idea may be easily adapted.

Figure 4 showsgear 15 fixedto shaft fi'bysa key I4 and a screw member I5 engaging the threaded 2,498,860 f I A bore It. A look washer I1 is used under the head of screw 15. By the combination of the key M, the screw I5 and the lock washer l1, gear 5 will be firmly fixed to shaft 6 and will not be easily separable due to vibration or other causes. While this type of connection is shown, it is understood that other connections embodying the same idea may be easily adapted.

Figure 4a shows a brush adapter 1 with a hollow bore, to fit snuglyaround shaft 6 and longitudinally fixed to shaft 6 bya key 8 and set screws 8a, annularly spaced along the shaft. The key 8 and the set screws 8a hold the brush adapter 1 firmly in place so that when shaft. 6 rotates the brush adapter will rotate with it; Brushes 9, annularly spaced around the brush adapter 1, are fixedly carried by the brush adapter and, therefore, rotate with and are removable as the brush adapter is rotated or removed.

Several brush adapters may be constructed having different types of brushes, so that the operator may choose the particular type of bristle desired. And, it is particularly understood that while brushes are shown, that the brush adapter may have the bristles carried annularly without being in a brush shape.

As explained above, shaft 6 may be easily removed from the housing It by releasing the lock-' ing bar l8. Thereafter, the brush adapter 1 may be removed from the shaft 6 by backing off the setscrews 8a and tapping the adapter to free it from the key 8 and the shaft 6. This construction allows. for replacement of a brush adapter having one type of brush by a brush adapter having a difierent type of brush so that the operator may select the type vof brush requiredfor a particular need.

While this type of brush adapter is shown, it is understood that the construction may be modified as shown in Figure 4b, where the brushes 9 are formed integrally with the brush adapter I or as illustrated in Figure 4b where brushes 9 are mounted directly into shaft 6' eliminating the use of the brush adapter, in which event replacement of shaft units instead of brush adapters, as shown, would follow.

Shaft 6 is set in housing l0 so that brushes 9 will rotate through the hollow portion of the housing. During the travel inside the housing the brushes contact a portion of inner wall 20, constructed and arranged concentric to the axis of shaft 6, as shown in the cross section, Figure 2.

Inner wall 20 constitutes a surface with two planes or levels adjacent to each other such that for the first two-thirds of the brush travel the inner wall 20 is a sufficient distance from shaft 6 to contact the brush ends. The remainder of the inner wall 20 is on a different plane represented by the ofiset enlargement 2!, which is a suflicient distance from shaft 6, to allow the brush to pass free and unimpeded during the remainder of its travel in the housing.

The contacting portion of the inner wall is provided to give the brushes an opportunity to absorb paint or "other coating material during their travel through the housing. The offset enlargement will allow thebrushes to straighten out and absorb the picked-up paint or coating material and small quantities of excess paint or coating material which collect due to the bending of the brush ends whilemoving along the contacting portion of the inner wall. The ofiset enlargement will prevent the brushes from push- '4 ing coating material to the outer edges of the casing where it may collect, dry, and interfere with the operation of the brushes, and also operates to return excess paint or coating material back to the contacting portion of the inner wall, thus doing away with a return mechanism in the event that excess paint is supplied to the brushes.

Housing Ill has a valve chamber 22 which opens onto the contacting portion of inner wall 20, by

a longitudinal opening 23, approximately onethird of the distance down the contacting portion of the inner wall. A hemi-cylindrical valve The width of the longitudinal opening 23 will supply the proper amount of paint or coating material to the brush ends as needed, while the longitudinal construction will supply the paint or coating material evenly along the entire length of each of the brush ends as they pass the slit during their travel through the housing.

A manually controlled lever operates the hemicylindrical valve 24 to regulate the width of the longitudinal opening 23, so that the proper amount of coating material will be supplied; the valve being connected to a substantially U-shaped member 26 on either side by longitudinal extensions 25. The middle portion of the U-shaped member is in turn connected to a straight rod member 21. The straight rod member has a threaded portion 28 and a thumb screw 29 so that the width of the longitudinal opening may be regulated and fixed to deliver the supply of paint needed.

While this typeof manually operated lever is shown, it is understood that other manually controlled levers embodying the same idea may be easily adapted.

.,A fragment of conduit 30 is shown in Figures 2 and 5, connected at one end to said valve chamber 22 by a threaded air-tight connection 3|. The other end attaches to a reservoir (not shown) of any conventional type for holding paint or other liquid.

The reservoir is operated in conjunction with a compressor (not shown) of any conventional type. purchasable on the open market, for forcing fluid into the valve chamber. The compressor may be operated ofi the electric motor furnishing the rotating force for the brushes.

The. housing It], shown in Figures 1 and 2, shows a single handle member 32 cast into the housing itself. While this type of handle member is shown,.it will be understood that the handle member may be a separate member fixed onto the housing by bolts or studs, a dual handle memher or a pole member or any combination of single or multiple handles either cast or as separate units subsequently aflixed.

A switch (not shown) may be adapted to fit the handle to remotely control the motor which isfurniShing the rotation force.

As a safety protection, a gear cover 33 is mounted on the housing by bolts or studs 30 so that the revolving gears are completely covered reg ae-met ""coatingmaterial to pass through the longitudinal slit 23mm theinner wall 20. :Brushessl, rotating inside the housing 'passacrossthe contactingtpor- 'tionof-theinner wall 2 ll where theypick up and distribute the" paint or coating m'aterial throughthe bristles until the offse't enlargement '2 his reached. The bristles then straighten out absorbing th'e sm'all' excess caused'by-the bending of the brush ends moving across the-contacting -portion of the inner wall "and pass freelyout to 1 coat th'e sur-face beiiigpainted.

The compressor is utilized to supply apositiv'e pressure for forcing paint or coating ri'i aterialihto the valve chamber '22. when' valve fl i's 'r''gulate'd th'is pos'itive pressure helps to 'sup'ply til pi dpr' 'alh0lint of paint -orcoating 'lfiatcr ial o" to'thein ner wall.

While operating the brush, an oversupply 'o'f fiai'n't or "coating 'material' may be supplied to the brushes. This will result in'e'Xces's" paint or 'coatin m'ate'rialco'llecti'ng in-the "offset enlargement 21. When this occurs the operator mus't 're'gulate the flow of paint orco'ating material by means of hand lever 26, either by closing valve 24 completely or partially so as to-allow the excess to be used-up as it runs back onto the contacting portion of inner Wall 20. Thereafter, the supply may be regulated further as it is needed.

The mechanical paint brush may also be used to remove paint, coating material or clean the surface prior to painting orcoating the surface byutilizing different paint removing andclean'sing solvents'and by changing the brush adapter tothe type bristle which will be 'mosteffective fonthis purpose. 7

When a paint removing solvent is used, the solvent is coated over the surface in the same manner as described above. Thereafter, the brushes may be changed from a fiber bristle to metallic bristles, and the surface that has been treated with the solvent may then be cleaned by the action of the metallic bristles either with further paint removing solvent or dry.

It is also possible to avoid the use of paint removing solvent completely where the paint or other coating material is scaly or easily removable by relying on merely the frictional action of the metallic brushes to accomplish the result.

The use of other types of solvents would similarly apply, as, for example, water with a deter gent for cleaning dirt off a surface prior to painting or coating the surface or-where it is desired to clean the surface but complete removal of paint or coating material is unnecessary. This would not necessitate the changing of the type bristle that is used as described above.

As stated, the mechanical paint brush is manually operated, therefore it would be advisable to construct the housing and other parts of the lightest but strongest materials available, for example, a light cost aluminum or magnesium metal. This will also give long trouble-free operation and allow efficient and easy manipulation.

It will be understood that the inventor is not to be limited to the specific construction or arrangement of parts as shown but, as already illustrated, they may be widely varied Within the invention defined by the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A rotating painting and coating apparatus comprising, a housing having a hollow interior portion, a removable shaft rotatably' carried by said housing across the hollow interior portion, means for rotating said shaft, a locking bar pivotally connected to said housing adjacent the ends a plane-perpendicular to the lea orsaid shaft 'gitudinal' axis o'f :tn'e: shaft to: removably -lock :the

sorption of coating material includes, an (offset enlarg ment forming th latter third of the hollow interior portion. a

3. A rotating painting an'd coating apparatus comprising, a housing having a hollow. .portion; a shaft, means for rotatably inounting and -locliing said shaft on said'housing-aicross the hollowwin terior .portion thereof, driving means for rotating said shaft, a :brush adapter "carried byxsaid shaft for rotation therewith, brushes mounted in said brush adapter to contact the'holl'ow interior portion oft-he housing, said hollow interior portion -having an offset enlargement "continuous therewith-in the housingto aid absonption of'coating:- material by said brushes, and 'means fo'rtzdelivering-and to control the :quantityof coating material delivered to said brushes. I

4. -=A- rotating. painting and coating apparatus as claimed :in claim 3' whereinth'e meansifor ro tatably mounting and lock-ingsai'd shaft-to said housing includes, locking bars pivotally mounted on i said housing inwardly of "eitherwend \of ?.:the shaft, and split bearings carried by-said housing and. each of said locking bars in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft and adapted to be opened and closed with said locking bar whereby the said shaft may be removed or locked in position.

5. A rotating painting and coating apparatus comprising, a housing having a hollow interior portion to form an inner wall therein, locking bars pivotally connected to the outer edge of said housing in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal plane of the housing, split bearings mounted on said housing and having at least one portion thereof carried by each of said looking bars, a rotatable shaft mounted in said bearings across said hollow portion of the housing, means for rotating 'said shaft, a brush adapter carried by said shaft and rotatable therewith, brushes carried by said brush adapter for contact with said inner wall, means continuous with said inner wall to aid absorption of coating material by said brushes, and a valve means in said housing to open onto said wall to deliver coating material to said brushes.

6. A rotating painting and coating apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the valve means comprises, a valve chamber formed in said housing to receive coating material therein, means for delivering coating material to said valve chamber, a longitudinal opening communicating with said valve chamber and opening onto said inner wall, a hemi-cylindrical valve member movably mounted in said valve chamber to open and close said longitudinal opening, and means to regulate said valveto control the width of said longitudinal opening.

7. A rotating painting and coating apparatus comprising, a housing having a hollow interior portion to form an inner wall therein, locking bars pivotally connected to the outer edge of said housing in apiane perpendicular to the lon itudinal plane of the housing, split bearings mounted on said housing and having at least one portion thereof carried by each of said locking bars, a rotatable shaft removablyv mounted in said bearings across said hollow portion of the housing, means for rotating said shaft, a brush adapter carried by said shaft and rotatable therewith, brushes carried by said brush adapter for contact with said inner wall, an offset enlargement forming the latter thirdof thecinner Wall to aid absorption of coating material therefrom by said brushes, a valve chamber formed in said housing, means for delivering coating material to said valve chamber, a longitudinal opening on said inner wall communicating with said valve chamber to allow coating material to pass thereto, a hemi-cylindrical valve member movably mounted in-said valvechamber to open and close said longitudinal opening, and an externally mounted lever to communicate With said hemi-cylindrical valve to control the width of said longitudinal opening to prevent excess coating material from passing to said inner wall.

8. In a rotating painting and coating apparatus, a housing having a hollow interior portion to form an inner wall therein, a removable shaft rotatably carried by said housing across said hollow portion, means for rotating said shaft, a brush adapter fixed to said shaft to rotate therewith, brushes set in said brush adapter, a

contacting portion on said inner wall for contact with said brushes, an ofiset enlargement formed on said inner wall continuously with said contacting portion to aid absorption of coating'material, valvemean's to control delivery-of coating material to said contacting portioning eluding, a valve chamber formed in said housiing, a longitudinal opening on said contacting portion communicating with said valve chamber, a hemi-cylindrical valve to open and close said longitudinal opening, a manually operated hand lever communicating With said cylindrical valve member tocontrol the width of said longitudinal opening, and means connected to said valve chamber for delivering coating material thereto.

9. In a rotatingpainting and coating apparatus as claimed in claim 8 which includes, locking bars pivotally mounted on said housing inwardly of either end of the shaft,- and split bearings carried by said housing and each of said locking bars in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, of the shaft and adapted to be opened and closed with said locking bar whereby the said shaft may be removed or locked in position. ROBERT P. DARLING.

REFERENCES CITED 

